Guns and churches

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Is it time for churches and religious leaders to publicly weigh in on the gun control issue? The fierce debate over guns is as much a pro-life issue as abortion.

Anti-abortion advocates focus on legally protecting those who are subject to lethal violence that results in death. These pro-life advocates argue that the human fetus is a person with a right to life.

The same church leaders and pro-life advocates who spare no effort in trying to shut down abortion clinics should similarly be committed to supporting laws to restrict access to certain types of guns and ammunition.

Already, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has established gun-free zones for its buildings and made clear why: "Churches are dedicated for the worship of God and as havens from the cares and concerns of the world. The carrying of lethal weapons, concealed or otherwise, within their walls is inappropriate except as required by officers of the law."

With their moral position, church leaders and religious organizations can make the difference in leading such a change in our national gun policy.

Bennion Spencer

Riverton

Share This Article

USER COMMENTS

Reader comments on sltrib.com are the opinions of the writer, not The Salt Lake Tribune. We will delete comments containing obscenities, personal attacks and inappropriate or offensive remarks. Flagrant or repeat violators will be banned. If you see an objectionable comment, please alert us by clicking the arrow on the upper right side of the comment and selecting "Flag comment as inappropriate". If you've recently registered with Disqus or aren't seeing your comments immediately, you may need to verify your email address. To do so, visit disqus.com/account. See more about comments here.